John Aebi-Magee
June 12, 2007

Building bigger and bigger houses is out. The new trend is in the opposite direction. In fact, the greatest single action you can take to reduce waste and conserve resources is to choose to live in a small house. Some dedicated believers in UltraLight Living have downsized to 100 square feet.

Also known as the Micro-Compact Home, the most extreme versions are designed for one or two people and are less than 500 square feet.

One version that is becoming popular in Europe is called M-CH (for Micro-Compact Home). It was designed by a team of researchers and designers based in London and the Technical University in Munich. The M-CH, now in use and available throughout Europe, combines building techniques deployed in aircraft, yachts, cars, and micro apartments. Its design was influenced by Japanese tea-houses, combined with advanced concepts and technologies.

The M-CH was designed to be ultralight, transportable and affordable (about $40,000). The tiny cube provides a double bed on an upper level and working table and dining space for four people on a lower level. Living in an M-CH means focusing on the essential - less is more.

The M-CH is currenlty being showcased at The Festival of Extreme Building. The fesitval is a six-month exercise in experimental building which will highlight the regeneration of Birmingham’s Eastside in the UK. The M-CH is an emblem for the festival, which aims to showcase innovative design. The festival runs from June 9th till September 2007.

Another example of an UltraLight House is from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. The 400 square foot ZGlass House inlcudes a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and storage area with a central living area.

The Small House Society calls the trend toward UltraLight homes the Small House Movement. A less drastic approach is simply known as downsizing -- selling the suburban 3500 square foot home in exchange for simpler living in a small condo or town home that is energy efficient and in a walking-friendly urban setting.

Downsizing is a big step toward UltraLight Living. Here are some resources for learning more about how to have an ultralight home.

See Our Website Directory for More UltraLight Home Resources.